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Earthquake intensities are measured by their magnitudes, whether in land or sea floor. Underwater earthquakes may cause shallow or no tsunamis at all if the magnitude is below 7.5 or they could create the destructive tsunami that everybody fears. In cases where the latter occurs, it could destroy properties, infrastructures, and sadly--lives. The higher the magnitude, the greater the damage, but it also depends on other factors such as population density and location.
image: usgs.gov
Two of the most remembered and tragic tsunamis caused by underwater earthquakes are the 1946 Alaska Tsunami in Hawaii and the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. For the former, the 7.4 magnitude underwater earthquake created a massive tsunami through the Pacific and Hawaii, where the waves killed 159 people. The Indian Ocean tsunami caused by the 9.1 magnitude earthquake was one of the deadliest and destructive ever recorded: waves towered over 30 feet, over 108,100 people died, more than 127,700 missing, and 426,800 were carried off and displaced. Tsunamis are deadly, but they are caused by disturbances on the sea floor such as volcanic activities and underwater earthquakes.
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